Audemars Piguet ambassador Darren Clarke wins the British Open!

July 17th 2011 – Darren Clarke is the third Audemars Piguet ambassador to win a golf Grand Slam tournament in thelast 14 months, following in the footsteps of Rory Mcllroy (US Open 2011) and Graeme McDowell (US Open 2010).On Sunday July 17th, he claimed victory in the British Open, his maiden Major win.

Amid tough weather conditions on the Royal St Georges course running along the Kentish coastline, the 42 year-oldNorthern Irishman finished three strokes ahead of Americans Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Carding foursuperbly regular rounds of 68, 68, 69 and 70, he kept a firm grip on this Major by taking the lead on Friday and neverrelinquishing it thereafter. On his wrist was an incredibly light Royal Oak prototype in titanium. “I’ve waited a longtime for this victory and I’d be lying if I said I always believed I could make it”, he admitted. “But everything went likea dream this week. I felt instantly at ease on arriving here and I can’t remember having struck the ball so well, fromtee to green.”

An Audemars Piguet ambassador for the past six years, Darren Clarke had won 14 tournaments to date on theEuropen circuit, the last coming in Majorca last May. A four-time Ryder Cup winner (1997, 2002, 2004 and 2006), heexperienced the finest moment of his career to date this week at his 20th attempt in the British Major. This victorybrings him right back among the international golfing elite by propelling him to 30th in the world.

The players composing the international Audemars Piguet Golf Team are Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter,Miguel Angel Jiménez, Vijay Singh, Anthony Kim, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke. All are particularly keen devotees of HauteHorlogerie and proudly wear Royal Oak and Royal Oak Offshore watches. These collections embody a perfectcombination of elegance, excellence and strength, qualities that Audemars Piguet particularly appreciates in itssports ambassadors.